In a revelation that sheds light on Queen Elizabeth's final moments and her meticulous preparations, royal biographer Robert Hardman's upcoming book, The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, has unveiled two private letters penned by the late monarch.
The book, set to be released on January 18, 2024, contains an excerpt that offers insight into these touching letters.
According to the book's excerpt featured in the Daily Mail, Queen Elizabeth left behind two personal letters—one addressed to her son, King Charles, and the other intended for her trusted aide, Sir Edward Young.
The discovery of these heartfelt letters occurred in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth's passing on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle. Senior staff members, including the Queen's private secretary, Sir Edward Young, were busy strategizing the days ahead when a footman delivered one of the Queen's iconic red boxes.
These red boxes contain daily dispatches of documents from ministers across the United Kingdom, often including official documents and correspondence from Commonwealth representatives and international sources.
As Robert Hardman describes in the book's excerpt, this particular red box was the last one to reach the Queen before her passing. Such red boxes typically come with two keys—one for the monarch and the other for the duty private secretary. Inside this particular box, Sir Edward Young discovered a sealed letter addressed to Prince Charles and a private letter intended for himself.
The contents of these letters remain a mystery, and as Hardman notes, "We will probably never know what they said. However, it is clear enough that the Queen had known that the end was imminent and had planned accordingly. Were they final instructions or final farewells? Or both?"
In addition to these touching letters, Queen Elizabeth left behind her list of candidates to join the Order of Merit, her final royal duty. Hardman emphasizes that the Queen took this responsibility seriously, with the paperwork submitted to her just two days before her passing.
She diligently reviewed the notes and made her selections. This document, completed and returned for Sir Edward to carry out the necessary arrangements, marked the last official task handled by Queen Elizabeth II.
Even on her deathbed, the Queen demonstrated her commitment to her role and responsibilities, leaving a legacy of dedication and foresight for her successor, King Charles III.
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